Thrashing-machine



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

H m I M S H W m m M 0 W THRASHING MACHINE.

N0. 332,117. Patented Dec. 8, 1885.

l v a: i i i V WITNESSES a 06 W mm/4M (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. H. SMITH.

THRASHING MACHINE.

FL PETERS. PhOKu-Lllhcgrupher, Washington. D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT UFFICE.

VILLIAM HENRY SMITH, OF LA CROSSE, \VISCONSIN.

THZRASHING-MACHIN E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 332,117, dated December 8, 1885. Application filed June 2, 1885. Serial No. 167,369. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of La Crosse, in the county of La Crosse and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Thrashing- Machines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to thrashing-machines; and it has for its object the construction of a thrashing-machine in which the straw-carriers and their operative mechanism are arranged to operate in such a manner that the straw is fed continuously through and out of the machine, and in which the pivoted grate situated in close proximity to the thrashing-concave is adapted to beadjusted so as to operate to deliver the straw either directly against or under the auxiliary beater,which is also vertically adjustable, for the purpose hereinafter set forth.

To these endsmy invention consists in the improved construction and combination of parts of a thrashing-machine, which will be hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the annexed drawings, Figure l is a side view of my improved thrashingmachine, with the side frame of the machine removed in order to show the arrangement of the various parts of the machine; and Fig. 2 is a perspective view with portions of the outer frame or casing broken away.

The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both the figures.

Referring to the several parts by letter, A represents the outer frame or casing of my improved thrashing-machine.

B B indicate the beater-cylinder and concave, which are of ordinary construction. At

the rear end of the concave l3 is situated the grating O, which extends entirely across the machine, and is pivotally secured at each upper forward end, as shown, a shaft, 0, passing through the frame A below the grating G,and having secured upon it the eccentric cams 0 upon which the rear portion of the said grating rests. The outer end of the shaft 0 is provided with an operating-handle, O having a spring catch or detent, 0*, adapted to engage with a toothed segment, 0 by which arrangement the cams C may be secured in their adjusted position, for the purpose hereinafter set forth.

The beater-cylinder B is operated from any suitable power by a band passing around a pulley on the outer end of the beater-shaft.

D represents the operating crank shaft, which is driven through a band from the motive power passing around a pulley on its outer end, the said shaft being provided with the two cranks or wrists D, as shown; or, if desired, only one wrist and one set of operating-levers on the one side of the machine may be employed; but I prefer to use the two sets of levers, as here shown. To each wrist of the crank-shaft is pivotally connected the rear end of the forward pitman, E, and the forward end of the rear pitman, F, the forward end of the forward pitman, E, being pivotally connected to the lower end of the centrallypivoted elbow lever G, the upper end of which supports pivotally above its fulcrum the forward end of the forward straw-carrier, H,which is supported at its upper rear end b the hangers I. The forward upper end of the rear pitman,]. is pivotally connected to the lower end of tl1e elbow-lever J, which is pivotally secured at its upper end in the frame A, and has pivotally connected to it at about its center, below its fulcrum, the forward end of the rear straw-carrier, K, which is supported at its rear end by the hangers L.

By reference to the annexed drawings, in conjunction with the foregoing description, it will be seen that when the wrists D of the crank-shaft are turned forward in the revolution of the same the forward pitman, E, is thrown forward, and, through the centrallvpivoted lever G, serve to swing the forward straw-carrier,H,rearwardly, thus working the straw upon the same to the rear or discharge end of the machine, while at the same time the rear pitman, F, is drawn forward and operates toswing the. rear straw-carrier, K, forward, its inclined teeth orbars sliding beneath the straw, which extends over them. As the wrists of the crank-shaft reach the rearward portion of the space covered by their revolution the motion of the two straw-carriers will be reversed, the rear carrier now operating to work the straw to the rear of the machine, while the forward carrier slides beneath the straw forward to its operative position,the two carriers thus serving to continuously work or carry the straw through and out of the machine.

The straw-carriers H and K are each composed of the longitudinal supporting-bars It, formed on their upper sides with the steps R, on which the transverse slats R are supported in their operative positions, the grain falling from the straw through the spaces between the edges of the several slats. The construction of these straw-carriers is old and well known, and forms no part of my invention.

To the rear of the beater-cylinder B, at a suitable distance above the forward end of the forward straw-carrier, H, works the adjustable beater M, the ends of the shaft of which extend through slightly-curved slots M in the sides of the frame A, and are journaled in segments M which are pivoted at one end upon the outside of the frame, and are provided at their opposite ends with the teeth M adapted to mesh with the adjusting pinions M, by means of which the segments M and consequently the ends of the beater-shaft, may be raised or lowered at the will of the operator. When the grain first enters the machine, it passes between the concave B and the beatercylinder B, and then over the grating 0 upon the forward end of the forward carrier, H. By adjusting or turning the shaft 0, having the eccentric cams 0, previously described, the pivoted grating 0 may be raised or lowered, so as to direct the straw passing over it either into (that is, directly against and between the teeth) or below the auxiliary beater M, according to the kind of grain being operated upon, rye and similar grain requiring to be thrown directly into or against the beater, in order to separate the grain from the straw, being thus subjected to a greater separating process by the arms of the beater than where the grain is allowed to pass directly upon and over the surface of the forward carrier, and is acted upon by the extremities of the beater-arms alone, which is the course followed with wheat, 86C. The vertical adjustment of the beater itself is also for the same purpose.

N indicates the forward lower grain-table. which is pivotally supported at its forward end by the upper arms of the elbow-levers G, as shown, being supported at its rear end by the hanger N, and receiving its reciprocating motion from the levers G. The rear upper grain-table, O, is supported at its rear end by the hangers 0, while its forward portion is supported by the hangers'or rods 0 connected at their lower ends by the pitmen O to the rear end of the forward grain-table, so that the rear grain-table receives its motion also from the lever G through the forward graintable. 7 r

P indicates the fan, which is of ordinary construction.

The operation of my improved thrashingmachine is as follows: The wheat or other grain fed into the forward end of the machine passes through the thrashing-cylinder and over the adjustable grating (J, under or against the verticallyadj ustable beater M, and is conveyed by the straw-carriers through and out of the rear end of the machine, the carriers operating,as before described,to continuously move or carry the straw. The grain falls upon the grain-tables, and from thence down into a suitable grain-receptacle,Q, the fan P operating to separate the chaff from the grain during its downward passage, as will be readily understood. 7

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of my im proved thrashing-machine will be readily understood without requiring further explanation. 1

It will be seen that by constructing and ar ranging the straw-carriers and their operative mechanism in the manner shown and described the straw is operated upon continuously during its passage through the machine, while the adjustable grating, in conjunction with the adjustable beater, serves to regulate the separating process to which the grain is subjected by the said beater.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the'United States, is I 1. In thrashing-machines, the combination of the operating crank-shaft having one or more wrists, the pitmen arranged on oppo- IIO site sides of the crank-shaft, the elbow-levers connected at their lower ends to the pitmen, and the straw-carrier tables pivotally connected to the said elbow-levers above and below their fulcrums, respectively, all constructed and arranged to operate in the manner and for the purpose shown and set forth.

2. The combination, with the thrashing cylinder and straw-carriers, of the pivoted adjustable grating and the vertically-adjustable beater. arranged as described, for the purpose set forth. I

3. As an improvement in thrashingmachines, the combination of the operating crank-shaft, the pitmen arranged to operate on opposite sides thereof, the elbow-levers, arranged as described, the straw-carrier ta: bles pivotally connected to the saidlevers above and below their fulcrums, respectively, as described, and the grain-tablesarranged to be operated through the forward elbow- In testimony that I claim the foregoing as levers, substantially as shown and described. my own I have hereunto afiixed my signature 4:. The combination of the thrashing-cylinin presence of two witnesses.

der, the pivoted adjustable grating, the strawcarrier tables and their operative mechanism, WILLIAM HENRY SMITH.

arranged to operate as described, the vertically-adjustable beater, and the grain -tables, Witnesses:

arranged as described, all constructed and ar- E. E. BENTLEY,

ranged to operate in the manner and for the T. R. TOLLEFSUR.

1o purpose shown and set forth. 

